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During the past months Oded, Asaf and me at Misc. Management together with DJ Orkidea have been organizing a full scale Album Release Tour for Orkidea’s upcoming second artist album. Those past months and weeks have been very busy and exciting and finally we have some news to publish.

The tour will go to 12 different cities. I’m happy of the outcome especially in Finland – we will have the best venues and the best local promoters supporting the tour. The co-operators abroad aren’t bad either including for example Gatecrasher Magna in England.

The tour will be better, bigger and – of course – more Web2.0. than ever. We are launching a YouTube channel which will feature video material shot by us – and you. You can also upload your favourite tour event photos to our photo service or send them via Flickr. There will be an ordinary blog of the tour but also a voice blog which will deliver the atmosphere from the most distant corners of Finland and the clubs – and the afterparties… ;)

I’m happy having a priviledge of DJing during the tour in a couple of venues. First, in the beginning of the tour in Rovaniemi and Vuokatti, then in Helsinki at the album release main event and later still in Tampere and Joensuu.

For me the most awaited ones would be the event in Rovaniemi – and returning to the north – the main event in Kaivohuone, the incredible views over Tampere from Hämeensilta, the much hyped Rytmikorjaamo in Seinäjoki and the season closing at Laserpoint main event.

Orkidea’s new album sounds awesome and I’m confident the live-performances will be outstanding. I’m really looking forward to see you all on the tour. More official information can be found on DJ Orkidea’s website.

After a 24hour flight with a medical emergency on board, Heathrow hell and lost luggage, I’m finally home again. Despite the long travel back, it was an awesome holiday – Curaçao and Aruba were amazing, it was damn hot and humid and incredibly relaxing. I should be posting a couple of photos to my Flickr account soon, in case you’re interested.

New Year’s starting with a big bang. I’ll be warming up at Danceteria’s & DTM’s New Year’s party tonight with Miika Kuisma. The other acts include DJs Mr.A, Heikki L, Orkidea and Miss Drag Queen 2007, Nikola. See Danceteria website for more info.

From the beginning of 2008, I’ll be starting as a host of Tiistain Tanssi-ilta on YleX, the national radio 1. After ten years of radio career, DJ Orkidea leaves his position and I’ll be taking over.

During the first shows the concept will be fine tuned a bit. Most importantly, I want to make the provided electronic music scale wider in both genre- and timeline-wise. This will mean slightly more “easier” electronic music – nothing too poppy, but nothing too underground either.

I also want to provide other music than the tracks released during the past two weeks. Most DJs are watching the music scene with the eyes of DJs, not with the eyes of the public. Let’s face it – most of the tracks we consider already old, are totally unknown for the public. A couple of more plays could make a classic of several tracks which are just forgotten, because the DJs tend to think “everybody has this one already…”. Anyway, I think it’s a proper to introduce at least 1-2 old classic electronic music tracks per show. Some might say it’s nostalgic, I’d say it’s very educational. How little do we understand from today’s electronic music if we don’t know its past?

But before getting too deep, big thanks still to Leena and OlliS for the great possibility to join the team, to DJ Orkidea for all the years of Radio Unity/Tiistain Tanssi-ilta and to everyone of you for all the support I’ve gotten after the news were published. The first show is on Tuesday 8.1.2008, 21:00-22:00 Finnish time and from then on bi-weekly. Any comments, feedback, track requests etc. can be sent to me via this blog or email.

I’m taking a christmas break and leaving abroad for two weeks. You can’t reach me via email or phone. With urgent music related stuff, please contact Misc. Management.

It’s been another great year – thanks for sharing ideas, comments and all the good music. See you in 2008.

All the best,

Juska / Orion

[Photo by *Simian*]

The final chart of 2007:

TOP 30 of 2007
(in alphabetical order)
Aril Brikha – Kept Within
Claes Rosen, Add2Basket – Volaris
Damien Strong – Love Shop
Damien Strong – Flashback
Danceteria – Passion (Heikki L & Mr.A Remix)
David West & Inkfish – Hello Piano
Djuma Soundsystem – Les Djinns – Swen Webber Remix
Dousk – Anagram – Chris Nemmo mix
Dousk – Caribou
Eelke Kleijn, Nick Hogendoorn – Where Are My Goggles – Fine Taste Remix
Gareth Emery, Rue De Gar – Soul Symbol – Mohawk Remix
Graham & Blades – Argie Bargie
Jody Wisternoff – Starstrings – Vocal Version
Jody Wisternoff – Nostalgia – Remix
Joonas Hahmo – Sound of Sunday
Josef Plante – Get Me Thru – Burufunk Remix
JS16 – My Rosegarden
Lange vs Gareth Emery – Another You, Another Me
Mark Knight & D. Ramirez – Columbian Soul
Medway, Sven Hauck – AmonAmen – Matt Rowan & JayTech Remix
Miika Kuisma & OlliS – Awakening (Noel Sanger Remix)
Niels Van Gogh, Eniac – Pulverturm 2.0 – Eric Smax & Thomas Gold Remix
Ossie – Holy Land
Quivver – Dancing In Dark Rooms
The Rogue Element – Dead Drummers
Talisman & Hudson – Leaving Planet Earth – Eelke Kleijn Remix
Tasadi, Mike Mikhjian – Zeus – Jay Lumen Remix
Tracey Thorn – Grand Canyon (King Unique Come Home Vocal)
U&K – L’esperanza
U&K – The Year Of The Monkey – Miller & Pennington Remix

ALBUMS
Tom Middleton – Lifetracks
Justice – Cross
Aril Brikha – Ex Machina
Trentemoller – The Last Resort
Groove Armada – Soundboy Rock
Janna – Right Now
Tuomo – My Thing